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Comments Common Names Common Uses Countries of Distribution Cutting Resistance Drying Defects Ease of Drying Family Name Gluing Grain Heartwood Color Kiln Drying Rate Light-Induced Color Change Luster Nailing Natural Durability Numerical Data Painting Planing Polishing References Regions of Distribution Resistance to Impregnation Response to Hand Tools Sapwood Color Scientific Name Screwing Strength Properties Texture Toxicity Trade Name Tree Identification Tree Size Turning Varnishing Scientific Name Haematoxylum campechianum Trade Name Allerheiligenholz Family Name Leguminosae Common Names Allerheiligenholz, Blackwood, Blankholz, Blauholz, Blauw-hout, Blockwood, Bloodwoodtree, Blutholz, Bois bleu, Bois campeche, Bois de campeche, Bois de la jamaique, Bois de nicaragua, Bois de sang, Bois noir, Bois sanglant, Brasil, Campeachy wood, Campeche, Campeche carmen, Campeche rouge, Campeche-hout, Campechenholz, Campechy wood, Campeggio, Campeschenholz, Campetch, Coeur rouge, Dyewood, Ek, Legno azzurro, Legno di campeggio, Legno nero, Logwood, Palo azul, Palo brasil, Palo de campeche, Palo de sange, Palo de sangre, Palo de tinta, Pao sanguinho, Pau sanginho, Peachwood, Poachwood, Tinta, Tinto Regions of Distribution Central America, Latin America, Oceania and S.E. Asia Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP] Belize, Colombia, French Guiana, Guyana, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Suriname, Venezuela Common Uses Cabinetmaking, Carvings, Chemical derivatives, Fuelwood, Poles, Posts, Tool handles, Turnery Heartwood Color Yellow White Red Pink Orange Brown, red, dark reddish brown with nearly black stripes after prolonged exposure Yellow to golden-yellow to orange Red Pale red to pink Sapwood Color Yellow White Pink White to yellow Well defined Grain Figure Other (figure) Interlocked Other figure Interlocked Texture Coarse Fine Coarse Fine to medium Luster Pronounced Natural Durability Durable Perishable Moderately durable Susceptible to insect attack Non-durable Non-resistant to powder post beetles Non-resistant to termites Non-resistant to marine borers Resistant to termites Very durable Durable Susceptible to attack from powder post (Lyctid & Bostrychid) beetles Moderately durable Light-Induced Color Change Darker Toxicity Dermatitic effects Drying Defects Splitting Ease of Drying Slowly Kiln Drying Rate Naturally dries slowly Tree Identification Bole/stem form is misshapen Bole/stem form is fluted Tree Size Tree height is 10-20 m Tree height is 20-30 m Comments General finishing qualities are rated as good Cutting Resistance Easy to saw Cutting Resistance with dry wood is difficult Gluing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Nailing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Difficult to nail Possible if prebored Holds nails well Planing Fairly Easy to Very Easy Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Resistance to Impregnation Resistant heartwood Resistant sapwood Response to Hand Tools Easy to Work Difficult to machine Screwing Possible if prebored Turning Easy to turn Good results Painting Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Polishing Fair to Good Results Good results Varnishing Very Good to Excellent Results Fair to Good Results Fairly Easy to Very Easy Strength Properties Density (dry weight) = 61-67 lbs/cu. ft Shrinkage, Tangential = large Shrinkage, Radial = large Shrinkage, Tangential = fairly large Shrinkage, Radial = fairly large Density (dry weight) = 67-75 lbs/cu.ft Density (dry weight) = 53-60 lbs/cu. ft Density (dry weight) = 46-52 lbs/cu. ft. Numerical Data Item Green Dry English Density 55 lbs/ft3 Weight 54 48 lbs/ft3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % Tangential Shrinkage 9 % Item Green Dry Metric Density 881 kg/m3 Weight 865 769 kg/m3 Radial Shrinkage 6 % References Berni, C.A., Bolza, E., Christensen, F.J.,1979,South American Timbers - The Characteristics, Properties and Uses of 190,Species,C.S.I.R.O Div. Building Research Fors, A.J.,1965,Maderas Cubanas,Inst. Nac. Ref. Agraria La Habara Howard, A.L.,1948,A Manual of Timbers of the World.,Macmillan & Co. Ltd. London 3rd ed. Kribs, D.A.,1950,Commercial and Foreign Woods on the American Market (a manual to their,structure, identification, uses and distribution,U.S.A. Penn. State College, Tropical Woods Laboratory Marshall, R.C.,1934,Trees of Trinidad and Tobago,Government Printer Port of Spain Trinidad Marshall, R.C.,1939,Silviculture of the trees of Trinidad and Tobago - British West Indies,O.U.P.,London Patterson, D.,1988,Commercial Timbers of the World, 5th Edition,Gower Technical Press Pennington, T.D., Sarukhan, J.,1968,Manual para la Identificacion de campo de los Principales Arboles,Tropicales de Mexico,Inst. Nac. Inv. For. Mexico Record, S.J., Hess, R.W.,1943,Timbers of the New World,Yale University Press Record, S.J., Mell, C.D.,1924,Timbers of Tropical America,Yale Univ. Press Record, S.J.,1927,Trees of Honduras,Tropical Woods,10, pp10-47 Streets, R.J.,1962,Exotic Forest Trees in the British Commonwealth,Clarendon Press Oxford Swabey, C.,1941,The Principal Timbers of Jamaica,Department of Science and Agriculture Jamaica Bulletin No.29 Titmuss, F.H.,1965,Commercial Timbers of the World,Technical Press Ltd., London, 3rd edition Wood, B., Calnan, D.,1976,Toxic Woods,British Journal of Dermat 94 Suppl. 13